RCFD helps with fires nationwide

RAPID CITY, SD (KOTA) – The Rapid City Fire Department has deployed crews across the U.S. to assist states facing extreme fire conditions.

Figures from the National Interagency Fire Center show that nearly 30,000 fires burned a total of more than 2.1 million acres of land this month, above the 10-year average of 14.4 million acres.

“This fire season is bad, but fortunately we can send crews out and help,” said Brian Povandra, Rapid City Fire Department chief.

This summer, Rapid City Fire Department crews were sent to states such as California, Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming, Oregon, Nevada and locations throughout South Dakota.

Ben Mckee, a Rapid City firefighter who was stationed in Wyoming and California this summer, says it’s good practice to help out.

“If we can go out there and help other states and get our people some experience, then when there are actually fires in the mountains, like in Schroeder or Auburn, everything will run like clockwork,” McKee said.

Povandra stressed that the department does not leave its home base unprotected when sending out its teams.

“When we send people out, we don’t have a shortage at home; the fires we send our crews to also help pay for the back-ups, the overtime and so on that we have to spend to keep the stations here fully staffed,” Povandra said.

The efforts of Rapid City firefighters demonstrate not only the fire department’s commitment to helping other communities, but also the importance of cooperation in dealing with large-scale emergencies.

“Firefighters are all the same, whether they’re in California or in Idaho, the Hills. Everyone just wants to help the community, so it’s pretty cool to see guys come from all over to help,” McKee said.

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